Automatic vending machines and kiosks are utilized in a variety of commercial and non-commercial settings. A typical vending machine or kiosk is a device that provides various snacks, beverages and other products to consumers. The concept is based on the sale of products without a cashier. Items sold via vending machines vary by country and region. In many countries, vending machines generally serve the purpose of selling snacks and beverages, but are also common in busy locations to sell a variety of items, from newspapers to portable consumer electronics.
In Japan, for example, vending machines or kiosks are utilized quite extensively. Due to population density, limited space, a preference for shopping on foot or by bicycle, low rates of vandalism and petty crime, and a small and decreasing number of working-age people, there seems to be no limit to what is sold by such vending machines. While the majority of machines in Japan are stocked with drinks, snacks, and cigarettes, one occasionally finds vending machines selling items such as bottles of liquor, cans of beer, fried food, underwear, MP3 players (i.e., Apple iPods™), magazines and so forth. Japan has the highest number of vending machines per capita, with about one machine for every 23 people.
One of the problems with modern vending machines/kiosks is the inability of such devices to provide customer-specified products on-demand. A vending machine user is limited to a selection of items available in the vending machine itself. For example, if a user desires to purchase a particular type of item, the user must search a vending machine that provides that particular item. If there are no vending machines available to provide that particular item, the user is then forced to find an alternative source, such as visiting a store for that item. The modern vending machine is thus a passive device that is limited to only those items stocked within the vending machine/kiosk.
Based on the foregoing it is believed that a need exists for an improved apparatus, method, and/or system that overcomes the problems inherent with such vending machines/kiosks. There is also a need for a three-dimensional product bridge between the physical and virtual worlds. Such an approach is disclosed in greater detail herein.